Planet Improv Educational Services, LLC is a for-profit business established in 2019 that uses applied improvisational theatre techniques to empower and educate students.

Planet Improv, Inc is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation established in 2006. Its’ mission statement is “Empowering people to grow by providing engaging educational opportunities using applied improvisation.”

Planet Improv Educational Services, LLC & Planet Improv, Inc. have collaborated with and continue to collaborate with: the Charlotte Mecklenburg School (CMS) District, CMS’s After School Enrichment Program (ASEP;) The CMS Summer Camp Program; The CMS Project L.I.F.T. Program; The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center; St. Patrick’s Elementary School; Charlotte Country Day School; The YMCA/Anne Springs Close Greenway (Fort Mill, SC;) The Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture Department (PARC) and The City of Charlotte amongst many other educational organizations.

We used applied improvisation techniques to give students practice in:

Listening actively

Respecting themselves and others

Taking intellectual risks

Thinking on their feet

Dealing with the unexpected and using it to their advantage

Taking the perspectives of others

Social-emotional skills

Many other soft skills that applied improvisation introduces and reinforces

EDUCATOR CONTACT INFO

SELECT A PROGRAM

Select program

Educators, Administrators and School/Educational Organizations Personnel Team & Skill Building with Applied Improv

Program description

Listening is an important part of being an educator in any context. It is a way of “looking for the truth and the interesting things in what students are saying and not just trying to set them up to say the things you want them to say.”

Applied improv for educators/administrators/school personnel build teamwork, listening skills, and curious thinking. All skills that are important to

Listening is an important part of being an educator in any context. It is a way of “looking for the truth and the interesting things in what students are saying and not just trying to set them up to say the things you want them to say.”

Applied improv for educators/administrators/school personnel build teamwork, listening skills, and curious thinking. All skills that are important to educators as well.

What is really cool about appliced improv is it’s a way to physically and emotionally experience concepts in a safe space. A space that removes expectations of judgment and builds a foundation for people to support one another in achieving a goal.

You have this visceral, physical reaction to it — in a room, playing a game, rather than just hearing somebody say ‘you should make more mistakes’ or ‘this is why failure is good. There is something experiential but safe about applied improv that allows you to play around with and internalize these larger concepts.

Amongst many fun and highly interactive activities, participants introduce themselves verbally, gesture physically, move often in an open space, ask for consent before touching others, speak in pairs or small groups, and orient themselves in circles or front-facing arrangements. Participants turn to their partner(s) and say “thank you” after each activity ends and before forming new groups. Thank you is important because it gets us out of our head and reminds us of the value of people around us.

Participants celebrate mistakes by raising their hands and exclaiming, “woo-hoo!” As time passes, participants in applied improve grow more comfortable with the activities and with one another, and eventually start passing an invisible ball while making different made-up sounds.

These improv skills are especially relevant to educators: how to be present and fully listen, how to be spontaneous and celebrate failure, and how to share control.”

At the end of the workshop, participants gather in a circle and reflect on their experiences as a group, with mentions of expanding their comfort zones, learning the value of being a little goofy, and some wondering — can we create a new extracurricular applied improv club?

Planet Improv Educational Services, LLC and Planet Improv, Inc. will come to you. If that is not possible, we will find a suitable offsite venue.

Fees / Ticketing:

Planet Improv Educational Service, LLC and Planet Improv, Inc. will be overjoyed to work with your school/educators/administrators to best utilize your remaining ASC school funds and/or, if applicable, any additional/alternative funding source(s.)

EDUCATION STANDARDS

NC Standard Course of Study:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL. Pre-K to 12 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L. Pre-K to 12 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.C.1.1 Use non-verbal expressions to communicate elements of characterization, including age and physicality. NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.C.1.2 Apply appropriate volume and variation in pitch, rate, and tone to express character.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.C.1.3 Understand how to transform stories into written dialogue.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.C.2.1 Use improvisation to present a variety of simple stories or situations.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.C.2.2 Interpret stories from given texts by acting them out.

Strand: Culture NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU.1 Analyze theatre in terms of the social, historical and cultural contexts in which it was created.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU.1.1 Use theatre arts to illustrate how people express themselves differently.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU.1.2 Identify the cultural/historical contexts of stories that are acted out.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU.2 Understand the traditions, roles, and conventions of theatre as an art form.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU.2.1 Understand how to attend to others when they are sharing.

NCES.(GRADE APPROPRIATE).TA.CU2.2 Recognize the role of the director or acting coach.

PHOTOS

VIDEOS

References

5 stars for Scott and Planet Improv is a no-brainer! Scott is doing more important work through improv than what you might see on the surface. He’s been leading our group of high school girls (up to 125 girls in a group) at our annual Leadership Summit for the last three years. Our kids have a blast, laugh, and most importantly, come out of their comfort zones and build relationships that, as a result of how Scott runs his sessions, have the foundation to last forever. We strongly recommend getting involved in the positive experiences that Planet Improv provides!
~ Jennifer Shiley (The Young Elites)

We recently invited Scott Pacitti of Planet Improv to facilitate an improv event as a fundraiser for our high school theatre boosters. Boy, what fun it was to watch him engage the students in this theatrical art form. The workshop was so much fun and the event itself provided such a unique and comedic night of entertainment. Scott is very good at his craft. He made this event so easy and has such a generous approach to supporting students, theatre programs, and the improvisational art form. Much can be gained watching great minds and great wit at play. I highly recommend Scott and Planet Improv.
~Rebecca Godby

Thank YOU so much for an amazing class. Weston absolutely love it last year and this year…definitely his favorite camp ever.
~Vicki Kenworthy

Super fun! I loved getting out of my comfort zone and not being afraid to mess up! Highly recommend.
~Tara Thayer (school student)

Very fun and energetic. It helped my step out of my comfort zone by talking to imaginary talking toilet paper XD
~Rachel Daly

Scott from Planet Improv came and led a workshop at our school for our elementary students. We had so much fun! He was brilliant at interacting with the kids (and adults.) There was tons of laughter. We can’t wait to have Planet Improv return!

Great experience!! I had a great time and also gained life skills!!
~Kylie Boyer (school student)